Hi

I don't know what to do....my fig tree looks old (inherited it with house)...this year lots of leaves have come up around the base. I first thought they were suckers...so when I was trying to clip them out, I dug around in the soil and it looks like they are from the roots of the tree. How do I keep these under control and what is the best way to cut them without killing the tree and damaging the root system?

The other strange thing I found was a layer of plastic covering the roots about 8 inches below the soil surface. I am thinking this plastic made it hard for the tree to get the water so it sent it's roots to the surface. The leaves are from areas that have broken through the plastic.

Should I dig out all the soil around it take up the plastic, cut the leaves and recover with soil?

i don't know the species of fig--they are green then turn purple the trunk of the tree is about 18" in diameter maybe larger and is about 8 feet tall.

thanks...any advice is appreciated I am a garden novice.